CHAPTER 11 UPLAND GAME BIRD AND SMALL GAME HUNTING SEASONS Section 1. Authority. This regulation is promulgated by authority of Wyoming Statutes § 23-1-302 and § 23-2-105 (d). Section 2. Hunting Regulations. (a) Bag and Possession Limit. Only one (1) daily bag limit of each species of upland game birds and small game may be taken per day regardless of the number of hunt areas hunted in a single day. When hunting more than one (1) hunt area, a person’s daily and possession limits shall be equal to, but shall not exceed, the largest daily and possession limit prescribed for any one (1) of the specified hunt areas in which the hunting and possession occurs. (b) Evidence of sex and species shall remain naturally attached to the carcass of any upland game bird in the field and during transportation. For pheasant, this shall include the feathered head, feathered wing or foot. For all other upland game bird species, this shall include one fully feathered wing. (c) No person shall possess or use shot other than nontoxic shot for hunting game birds and small game with a shotgun on the Commission’s Table Mountain and Springer wildlife habitat management areas and on all national wildlife refuges open for hunting. (d) Required Clothing. Any person hunting pheasants within the boundaries of any Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Habitat Management Area, or on Bureau of Reclamation Withdrawal lands bordering and including Glendo State Park, shall wear in a visible manner at least one (1) outer garment of fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink color which shall include a hat, shirt, jacket, coat, vest or sweater. Section 3. Upland Game Bird Hunting Seasons. (a) Sage Grouse Hunt Areas, Season Dates, Bag Limits and Limitations. SAGE GROUSE Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations 1 Sep. 19 Sep. 30 2 4 Any sage grouse 2, 3 CLOSED 4 Sep.19 Sep. 21 2 4 Any sage grouse (i) Sage Grouse Hunt Area Descriptions. Area 1. Includes all of Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Park, Sweetwater, Uinta and Washakie counties, as well as that portion of Albany County north of U.S. Highway 30-287 11-1 and west of the Fetterman Road (Albany County Road 61), that portion of Converse County south and west of the Balsh Road (U.S.F.S. Road 660), all of Carbon County except that portion east of the Medicine Bow River and South of U.S. Highway 30-287, all of Lincoln and Sublette counties except those portions within the Snake River drainage, and all of Natrona County except that portion east of Interstate Highway 25. Area 1 also excludes that portion of Natrona County south of I-25 in the Muddy Creek drainage. Area 2. The entire state of Wyoming excluding the lands described in Areas 1, 3 and 4. Area 3. All lands in the Snake River drainage within Lincoln, Sublette and Teton counties. Area 4. Beginning at the intersection of the Sheridan-Big Horn County line with the Wyoming-Montana state line; easterly along said state line to the Rocky Point Road in Crook County; southerly along said road to the “D” Road; southerly along said road to Interstate Highway 90; easterly along said highway to U.S. Highway 16 at Moorcroft; southeasterly along said highway to U.S. Highway 85 at Newcastle; southerly along said highway to the Weston- Niobrara-Campbell-Converse-Natrona-Johnson County lines; westerly along said county lines to the Washakie-Johnson-Big-Horn-Sheridan County lines; northerly then northwesterly along said county lines to the Wyoming-Montana state line. (b) Blue (Dusky) Grouse Hunt Areas, Season Dates, Bag Limit and Limitations. BLUE (DUSKY) GROUSE Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations 1 Sep. 1 Dec. 31 3 9 Any blue (dusky) grouse (i) Blue (Dusky) Grouse Hunt Area Description. Area 1. The entire state of Wyoming. (c) Ruffed Grouse Hunt Areas, Season Dates, Bag Limits and Limitations. RUFFED GROUSE Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations 1 Sep. 1 Dec. 31 3 9 Any ruffed grouse (i) Ruffed Grouse Hunt Area Description. 11-2 Area 1. The entire state of Wyoming. (d) Partridge Hunt Areas, Season Dates, Bag Limit and Limitations. CHUKAR PARTRIDGE Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations 1 Sep. 15 Jan. 31 5 15 Any chukar partridge GRAY PARTRIDGE Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations 1 Sep. 15 Jan. 31 5 15 Any gray partridge (i) Partridge Hunt Area Description. Area 1. The entire state of Wyoming. (e) Sharp-Tailed Grouse Hunt Areas, Season Dates, Bag Limit and Limitations. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations 1 Sep. 1 Dec. 31 3 9 Any sharp-tailed grouse (i) Sharp-Tailed Grouse Hunt Area Description. Area 1. That portion of Wyoming east of the Continental Divide. 11-3 (f) Pheasant Hunt Areas, Season Dates, Bag Limit and Limitations. PHEASANT Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Shooting Hours Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations Start End 1 Nov. 7 Dec. 31 3 9 Male pheasant ½ hour before Sunset only (Youth Sunrise Hunt-Refer to Section 7) 2 Nov. 7 Dec. 6 2 6 Any pheasant Week Days 2:00 p.m. (Youth Hunt- 8:00 a.m. Refer to Weekend Sunset Section 7) Days 8:00 a.m. 2 Dec. 7 Dec. 31 2 6 Male pheasant ½ hour Sunset only before Sunrise 5 Nov. 7 Dec. 31 3 9 Male pheasant Veterans Day Sunset only except (State that portion of Observed Area 5 north of Holiday), the Shoshone Thanksgiving River and west Day, of the Christmas Yellowtail Day, and Reservoir shall Weekend be open for Days ½ hour any pheasant before Sunrise (Youth Hunt- Week Days Sunset Refer to 11:00 a.m. Section 7) 7 Nov. 7 Dec. 31 3 9 Male pheasant ½ hour before Sunset only Sunrise Table Mountain WHMA ½ hour 4:00 p.m. before Sunrise 8 Oct. 15 Nov. 6 3 Season Any pheasant 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Limit 3 (Springer permits) Refer to Section 5 8 Nov. 7 Nov. 13 3 9 Any pheasant 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. 11-4 PHEASANT Hunt Season Dates Bag Limit Shooting Hours Area Opens Closes Daily Possession Limitations Start End 9 Nov. 7 Dec. 31 3 9 Any pheasant 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. (Glendo permits) Refer to Section 6 11 Nov. 7 Dec. 31 3 9 Any pheasant ½ hour before Sunset Sunrise (i) Pheasant Hunt Area Descriptions. Area 1. All of Fremont County, excluding the Ocean Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area, the Mile High Ranch Access Area, and the Sand Mesa Wildlife Habitat Management Area east of the Bass Lake Road. All of Sheridan, Johnson, Park, Washakie and Hot Springs counties, and all of Big Horn County excluding lands in the Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area north of U.S. Highway 14A. Area 2. All lands in the Ocean Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area, the Mile High Ranch Access Area, the Killebrew Ranches Access Area and all lands in the Sand Mesa Wildlife Habitat Management Area east of the Bass Lake Road. Area 5. All of the lands included in the Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area north of U.S. Highway 14A. Area 7. All of Goshen County excluding Hunt Area 8. Area 8. All of the lands included in the Springer/Bump-Sullivan Wildlife Habitat Management Area. Area 9. All Bureau of Reclamation Withdrawal lands bordering and including Glendo State Park and the adjoining Department’s Access Yes Walk-in Area. Area 11. The entire State of Wyoming excluding the lands described in Areas 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 and 9. (ii) Closed Areas. (A) The waters and lands within one-half (1/2) mile of the aeration system on the north side of Ocean Lake shall be closed to pheasant hunting beginning December 15 through December 31 of each year. (B) The Downar Bird Farm and Springer Headquarters in Goshen County shall be closed to pheasant hunting as marked by signs. 11-5 (C) Pond Number 1 and adjacent lands on the Table Mountain Wildlife Habitat Management Area in Goshen County, as marked by colored signs and posts, shall be closed to pheasant hunting after November 13. (D) The Sheridan Bird Farm in Sheridan County shall be closed to pheasant hunting, except during hunts sponsored and supervised by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Section 4. Pheasant Special Management Permit. A pheasant special management permit shall be required of any person, except those exempted in this section, who participates in the hunting of pheasants in those areas listed in subsection (a) of this section. Owners of lands enrolled in the Department’s Access Yes Walk-In Areas, and members of their immediate families (landowner’s spouse, parents, grandparents, lineal descendants and their spouses, or siblings) are exempt from the requirement to obtain a pheasant special management permit when they are hunting pheasants on the deeded land of the landowner. The pheasant special management permit shall be in possession of any person while hunting pheasants, and shall be immediately produced for inspection upon request from any authorized Department representative. Any person purchasing a pheasant special management permit for the purpose set forth in this section shall validate the permit by signing that person’s name in ink across the face of the permit. Hunters who acquire a pheasant special management permit through the Electronic Licensing Service (ELS) shall not be required to meet the signature provision of this section.